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Revenue sharing raises questions

Are the Padres using their revenue sharing money in compliance with the Basic Agreement for revenue sharing?

The question was raised earlier this week when the Major League Baseball Players Association issued a joint statement with the Commissioner’s Office regarding union concerns that the Florida Marlins had not lived up to the requirement of using the revenue sharing funds to improve the club’s performance on the field.

The Marlins dodged a bullet when they assured the union and the Commissioner’s Office that they would be using revenue sharing proceeds to increase player payroll over the next three years as they prepare to move into their new ballpark.

But the announcement raised questions throughout baseball about Revenue Sharing and how teams receiving money are using the funds.

To begin with, all parties are sworn to secrecy about the amount of money teams receive through revenue sharing. Even the union, which has raised questions about how the money is used, has never divulged the amounts in question.

So, are the Padres being questioned on their use of revenue sharing funds given the fact that their payroll plunged to around $43 million last season and is target for no more than that amount this year?

After all, the joint statement said that the union is concerned that “certain clubs have not lived up to the requirement” that the funds be used to “improve performance on the field” and that a “number of clubs” have been discussed.

If the Padres are being investigated, no one in the Commissioner’s Office or the union is ready to finger them.

It also turns out that the “improve performance on the field” clause can be interpreted many ways.

The Padres recent decision to add six amateur scouts could be taken as a move to improve their performance on the field. And a temporary drop in payroll expenditures would not necessarily be seen as a violation of the Basic Agreement.

An official of the MLBPA said the unprecedented joint statement regarding the Marlins was made after “years of concern.” He said he did not think the Padres were being studied for violations of the Basic Agreement.